1. Field of the Disclosed Embodiments
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for facilitating connection between a WiGig-enabled wireless device and a WiGig-enabled wireless access point.
2. Related Art
With the proliferation of wireless devices of all types running increasingly sophisticated applications, the demand for available bandwidth has increased dramatically. Communications in the millimeter wave (mmWave), e.g., 60 GHz, region of the frequency spectrum have emerged as a unique solution to the need for increased bandwidth for a number of reasons. Transmitting, for example, in the 60 GHz frequency range offers extremely high data throughputs as a result of the unlicensed ultra-wide bandwidth available. A tradeoff is that communications in this frequency range are highly directional.
Wireless communications in the 60 GHz frequency range experience a high level of atmospheric RF energy absorption. Understanding that the transmitted RF energy in this frequency region would be quickly absorbed by oxygen molecules in the atmosphere over long distances, wireless technology developers focused on this characteristic as a benefit for certain applications. Previously, the high levels of atmospheric absorption and resultant range limitations were viewed as rendering mmWave technologies unsuitable for certain wireless applications. As there emerged a need for short-range, selective, and interference free high data throughput transmission paths, however, mmWave technologies, and particularly 60 GHz mmWave systems, emerged as a solution.
An ability to provide secure, straight-line, high data rate communications is a significant plus. This is balanced by the need to establish and maintain directional beam communication with a receiving device, such as a wireless device with which a mmWave source, or access point, is communicating.
Communication standards for operations in the mmWave portion of the RF spectrum are being established and revised by the Wireless Gigabit Alliance or WiGig. WiGig is an organization promoting the adoption of multi-gigabit speed wireless communications technologies operating primarily in the unlicensed 60 GHz mmWave frequency band. The WiGig specification defines a standard for high speed wireless communication in support of wireless data, display and audio applications that supplement the capabilities of local area network (LAN) devices operating in other portions of the unlicensed RF spectrum. WiGig-enabled devices may deliver data at rates that are 7-10 times faster than the rates available for existing Wi-Fi devices. The mmWave communication capabilities will generally be referred to throughout this disclosure as WiGig communications. A very similar standard to WiGiG is the IEEE 802.11TGad: Draft Standard for Information Technology—Telecommunications and Information Exchange Between 7 Systems—Local and Metropolitan Area Networks—Specific Requirements—Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications—Amendment 3: Enhancements for Very High Throughput in the 60 GHz Band (“IEEE802.11TGad”). Devices described in this application as being WiGiG compatible devices may also be IEEE802.11TGad compatible devices.
Directional WiGig communications rely on establishing communication between the wireless device and a wireless access point such as, for example, a WiGig Private Basic Service Set (PBSS) Control Point/Access Point (PCP/AP). The PCP/AP transmits beacons periodically. These beacons allow wireless devices to associate with the PCP/AP for wireless WiGig communications.